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By Kirk Mango
April 5th, 2008
I suppose the best answer to this question of specialization in sports (and I know I might get some grief for this) is that there really is no best or right answer, at least no right answer for everyone and every situation. There are just too many variables in order for one answer to truly be beneficial for all. In fact, doing so would not only be inappropriate but completely unfair to the athlete and/or situation they might be faced with. So, even though it might seem vague at first, let’s start with some general guidelines (and I do mean general; some will even come up with scenarios that would simply not fit these general guidelines either).
I do, in general, believe that young people who participate in sports should, within reason (too many is not good either), participate in a variety of sports. There are several reasons behind this, not the least of which is to help them become more well-rounded individuals. Young athletes should learn and know how to run, jump, shuffle, sprint, jog, hop, and skip along with catching, throwing, shooting, balancing, kicking, batting, etc.
Some local parents don't object to multi-sport children, so long as stress doesn't become overwhelming
By Sean Golden
February 11th, 2008
FAIRFIELD COUNTY - Daniel Dodd is a busy kid. The Baltimore fifth-grader plays football, basketball, baseball, soccer and golf.
But to hear Daniel, 11, tell it, he loves the constant activity. They're just really fun to do, and sports kinda keep you out of trouble," Daniel said. It's not uncommon for kids involved in youth sports to divide their focus not just between two sports, but among three or four and sometimes even more.
Youth sports offers children a unique opportunity to experience a number of different athletic endeavors in the interest of just having fun.
"You can go around and try to get people involved in it so your team gets bigger and bigger and hopefully gets better and better," Daniel said.
Sitting in the East Aurora gym prior to a Tomcats basketball practice, Mike McCallister said that he thought track would be the sport that his son, Ryan Boatright, would excel in.
As Boatright hit the court and began lofting jump shots, McCallister noted Boatright's family tree of track stars, including current Arkansas All-American and aunt Tominique Boatright.
Also an accomplished junior high running back, the Tomcats' freshman point guard decided against suiting up for the football team this past fall in order to get ready for varsity basketball. But McCallister said if his son wants to return to the gridiron in the future, he's all for it.
Boatright will continue to compete in track however, high jumping, long jumping and running the 400-meter dash for the Tomcats this spring.
| Adirondack CC | 4/1 & 4/8 |
| Broome CC | June 7, 2008 |
| Cayuga CC | Fall 2008 |
| Clinton CC | May 27, 2008 |
| Corning CC | |
| Columbia-Greene CC | July 19, 2008 |
| Dutchess CC | May 18, 2008 |
| Erie CC | TBA |
| F.I.T. | TBA |
| Finger Lakes CC | June 11th, 2008 |
| Fulton-Montgomery CC | May 15, 2008 |
| Herkimer CC | June 17th 2008 |
| Hudson Valley CC | May 6, 2008 |
| Jamestown CC | March 2008 |
| Jefferson CC | May 21, 2008 |
| Mohawk Valley CC | March 29, 2008 |
| Monroe CC | TBA |
| Nassau CC | 3/1 & 3/11 |
| Niagara CC | June 18, 2008 |
| Onondaga CC | April 26, 2008 |
| SUNY Orange CC | TBA |
| SUNY Rockland CC | May 6, 2008 |
| Schenectady CC | Summer 2008 |
| Suffolk CC | June 6, 2008 |
| Sullivan CC | TBA |
| Tompkins Cortland CC | May 5, 2008 |
| Ulster CC | October 7, 2008 |
| Westchester CC | 6/9, 7/16, and 8/14, 2008 |
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